I am grateful to have my friend David guest blog for me. He is blessed to have a job that enables him to travel. This post covers one of my bucket list places, the Batu Caves in Malaysia.
The Battu Caves are a series of three karst caves located just outside of Malaysia’s capital city of Kuala Lumpur, Guarded by a colossal statue of Lord Murugan and an army of crazed monkies, the cave is accessible by a massive staircase containing 272 steps. While the levels are daunting enough you also have to face a gauntlet of monkies, touristic hordes, and the relentless heat. For your effort, you reach a beautiful open cavern called the Cathedral cavern for its skylight and massive open area. The interior of the cave contains a vast temple complex with colored reliefs and statues from various Hindu scriptures.
The Caves are the largest Hindu temple outside of India. One of the things that make Malaysia so special is the unique blend of cultures. Indian, Malay, Chinese and indigenous cultures all fuse in a single nation. There are many beautiful sights in KL (Kuala Lumpur) and all over the country but what makes the caves so unique is the blend of the spiritual and the natural. The caves are free and a short trip from the city center. I would definitely recommend a visit.
I used to work for Malaysia Airlines in Los Angeles for 8 years and went to KL often, but I never went to see the Batu Caves.